Poster #44 - Breathing Democratic Air: North Korean Refugees' Sociocultural Learning About Democracy

• In Event: 75.043 - MTCC Poster Session 17
  In Poster Session: 75.043-8 - Humanities, Social Sciences, and Fine Arts: Post-Truths

Abstract

This article examines North Korean refugees’ sociocultural learning experience of democracy in the United States. Four North Korean refugees were interviewed about their motivation of departure and initial arrival, recognition of democratic experiences and of learning experiences about democracy both in and out of school, and reflection on influential learning experiences and suggestions. By analyzing data (i.e., interviews, documents) through a situational analysis approach, the findings suggest that North Korean refugees’ narratives provide an evidence of knowledge acquisition about democracy, norms and expectations of living in a democratic society via formal and informal learning through institutional programs and non-formal learning sources (e.g., media, social interaction). Overall, this study provides prototypes of political socialization of refugees originating from non-democratic nations.

Author

• Jungwon Kim, University of California - Los Angeles